Preschool Crafts for Summer

Preschool has been out for about three weeks now. Grammy and Papa have visited twice already. And still, I’m on a countdown until school starts again. (As my husband puts it, the kid and I have a way of pushing each other’s buttons.) No matter how much counting I do, though, I’ve still got about ten weeks to get through, so it’s time to get planning! Check out some of the awesome art projects I found to ensure that our family fun time is…well, actually fun.

Photo Credit: Fireflies and Mud Pies

Squirt Gun Painting: I’m so excited to try this one! After explaining it to the kid, I can say I may be more excited than she is, although that could be because she has never seen a squirt gun. Whatever. I’ll tell her it’s a blaster and she can use it to be Princess Leia shooting Storm Troopers. She’ll have fun and we’ll get some awesome, unique wall décor in the process.

Photo Credit: Crafty Morning

Colorful Metal Washer Wind Chime: My daughter has been asking for a wind chime for a couple of years now. Instead of buying one, I think we’ll make one this summer! The supplies for this project are inexpensive to assemble, and I like that there are going to be steps. The kid doesn’t have the longest attention span for crafts, so the fact that we can spread this one out over a couple of sessions (or days) will keep her from walking away mid- project. Now, with a young child, I’m inclined to use paint and a brush rather than spray paint; then I can seal the washers with a spray sealant so the paint won’t chip. Also, there’s a bonus lesson in this project: tying!

Photo Credit: Kids Craft Room / My Little Three…and Me

Sparkler Firework Craft: The Fourth of July is coming up, so how about making some long-lasting sparklers to play with? This simple craft just needs tin foil, cellophane, straws, tape, and scissors. Your kids can (safely) play with fireworks all holiday long. And think of the pretend play opportunities and celebrations they can have all summer!

Melted Bead Sun Catchers: I’m sure you’re familiar with meltable Perler fuse beads (which seem to have come a long way since I was a kid). Have you ever considered using pony beads for a similar craft adventure? The neat thing about using pony beads is that you can get transparent colors and clear beads, making for an awesome sun catcher!

Photo Credit: Hello, Wonderful

Cardboard TV: How about some screen time this summer? No, no, no, not that kind. Make a cardboard TV that shows the kids’ art on its channels! For preschoolers, learning to draw and write inside a small area of the page—the “screen”—is apparently a useful skill. (Look at all the stuff you learn when your kid is in preschool! Pro tip: walking on their heels is another random skill they should learn.) Let your littles enjoy crafting their TV and the limitless screen time that will follow.

Photo Credit: Meri Cherry

Clay Catch-All Bowls: Okay, this is probably the craft for the summer. I saw it on a friend’s Facebook page and thought it was awesome. But, these bowls are made using Sculpey clay, which my husband has warned me is very hard to manipulate. The directions for the bowl suggest that, although a 3- or 4-year-old can do the project, it may be better for ages 5 and up because the clay is not non-toxic. Be sure the kiddos are working with lots of supervision on this one, regardless of their age. Anyway, these gorgeous catch-all bowls do require a fancier-than-normal crafting tool, so you’ll need to do a bit of advance planning. I’m saving this one for a really rainy or unbearably hot day when we’ll be stuck at home together all. day. long. We can get our holiday gifts done early, eh? How’s that for planning ahead?!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer time with kiddos and that these craft projects provide you with a bit of inspiration for those long days!

Christina lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and two English Springer Spaniels. Before becoming a reluctant stay-at-home mom, she worked in a variety of customer-service-oriented jobs while dreaming of living in the lap of luxury as a housewife. Unfortunately, having a child threw a wrench in Christina's plan to do nothing but eat bonbons while lounging in the Jacuzzi reading all day. Now, she spends her time looking for fun activities and crafts for her daughter and easy-to-prepare meals for her family, while trying not to land the kid in therapy when she grows up. Christina volunteers at several different places, and her particular passion is for her role as a sexuality educator. She loves to read, and to learn about--and share--new products and resources.